In the afternoon of December 16, 2020, a young man named Lee Vern Turner Jr. was fatally shot in Nashville, Tennessee. The 22-year-old male's life was cut short outside the Tornado Bus Station located at 4031 Nolensville Pike. The incident, which occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m., was not a random act of violence. Investigators determined that Turner was specifically targeted in retaliation for remarks he had made against a local gang.
This motive painted a grim picture of the events that led to the deadly confrontation.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly. A crucial piece of information came from a witness who was able to provide a description of the getaway vehicle. This lead proved vital, guiding detectives to a residence on Southgate Avenue later that same night. There, they took a 16-year-old, Oswaldo Corado-Callejas, into custody. During questioning, Corado-Callejas implicated himself in the fatal shooting of Turner, confirming the motive of gang-related retaliation. He was subsequently charged with criminal homicide and booked into juvenile detention. At the time, law enforcement indicated that at least one other arrest was anticipated in the case.
Further investigation led to a second arrest in May of the following year. A traffic stop for an equipment violation resulted in the apprehension of 17-year-old Jonathan Morales-Perez. During a search of the vehicle he was driving, which also contained three other juveniles, officers discovered seven firearms and the scent of marijuana. A background check revealed that Morales-Perez was wanted for questioning in connection with Turner's murder. During an interview with detectives, he admitted his involvement in the shooting. He was charged with two counts of criminal homicide, as he was also implicated in the November 16, 2020, killing of another individual. Both Corado-Callejas and Morales-Perez were identified as co-defendants in Turner's murder. The criminal homicide cases for both individuals were eventually transferred from Juvenile Court to Criminal Court. In February 2024, Corado-Callejas, then 19 and out on bond while awaiting trial, was arrested again on new charges of aggravated assault.
